The Dreamers
by Toni
Summary: This story is following Anakin as he tries to keep his latest nightmare from happening. Contains Episode III spoliers. Completed!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: All movie characters, events, etc. belong to George Lucas. I'm having fun playing with his toys and am not making any money from this. This story has Episode III spoilers, so do not continue if you want a nonspoiled Episode III experience.

Thanks so LittleVampireBites for her editing and support.

The Dreamers

_A strange alien world._

_Blood everywhere._

_A baby placed in Padme's arms._

_She was weak and then went limp._

I woke up with a start. I'm sure sweat was dripping on the sheets. Glancing at my darling wife, I saw that she was sleeping peacefully on her side. _For the time being_, I thought, panicking as I didn't know for how much longer that would be the case.

After a few seconds, I got up quietly, knowing that there was no way I was getting back to sleep. I started towards the balcony and had reached for the button to open the door to it before I realized that I was reaching with my right hand. Not using my mechanical arm at night, I was reaching into thin air. A reminder that I'm not all powerful, as Padme reminded me once.

I suppose I was hoping that the cold air would help me to think. It didn't help. There was traffic buzzing around, as there always is on Coruscant, even though it was the middle of the night and there had been a battle nearby only weeks before. Before I had decided on anything, I turned and saw that Padme was awake and standing next to me. Seeing her made me more terrified of what I had to lose, if that's possible. "Ani, what are you doing on the balcony at 0-300?" she asked.

I had no idea how to tell her what I had just learned. But then, I've always been straightforward. I told her "I had another dream, like the one I had before my mother died."

Padme was patient and willing to let me tell this at my own pace. "What happened?"

"You're going to die in childbirth." Then it was out in the open.

"We'll deal with that if it happens," she tells me.

I was sure the news hadn't sunk in yet. "It was terrible!"

Padme looked at me sympathetically. "I'm sure it was," she replied. "Now can you go back to bed?"

"But…"

"I am not staying out here in the middle of the night discussing dreams about deaths that are perfectly preventable with medical technology."

"I know this hardly ever happens, but the dream was so real!" I cried out.

"Anakin, I hate to see you upset. But there is nothing we can do about this tonight. Right now, the baby has finally settled down and I have a Senate meeting tomorrow morning."

"Fine, but I'm not just going to forget this." I replied.

Padme put her hands on my shoulders. I could feel her against my chest – our baby was so close it seemed like I could reach out and hold him. I knew I had to do whatever I could to save both of them.

"Ani, I'm here right now. And I'm just fine." Padme whispered.

I let Padme lead me to the bed. But I still wasn't going to forget that dream. I was just giving myself a few hours to decide what to do.


	2. At the Temple

The Dreamers – Chapter 2

The first thing the next morning, I went to the Jedi Temple. On my way out, Padme asked, "Are you feeling better, Ani?"

"Yes," I answered, even though I hate lying.

"Good," she replied, giving me a quick kiss. "Don't forget we're going to Squid Lake tonight."

I'd almost forgotten about the opera. But at least it would be a chance to talk to the Chancellor. "I'll be home in plenty of time," I promised.

After I arrived at the Temple, not noticing the white spires that could normally take my breath away, I started towards Obi-Wan's quarters. I had just reached there when Siri walked out.

_How have those two gotten the Council to look the other way about this for the past ten years or so? I don't think I've ever gotten any breaks from them._

"Good morning, Anakin." Siri said cheerfully, before she got a good look at my face. "What's wrong?"

Thinking that I might get a better response than "Dreams pass in time" I decided to tell her about my nightmare. After all, she was like my big sister or stepmother.

"I had another nightmare last night," I answered.

"One that you think tells the future?" she asked.

"Yes," I said.

She replied, "Tell me about it while we go to the next floor. I promised Ferus I'd take him to breakfast and I'm running late."

As we started going down the hallway, Siri asked "What happened?"

"Padme died in childbirth", I answered.

Siri gasped. "And your last nightmare came true, didn't it?"

"Yes. That's why I'm trying to stop this one from happening. Padme was saying it's impossible, though, that it's 'perfectly preventable'. Do you think that's right?"

Siri responded, "It better be."

"Why do I have a feeling we're not talking about Padme anymore?" I asked.

"Because there was something different about last night."

By this time, we'd reached the turbolift. "You really think you're…" I started.

"Yes," she interrupted. "Anyway, you're sure the nightmare wasn't just caused by stress?"

"I'm very sure," I said.

"Sorry to have to say this then, but if it's destiny, then there's nothing that can stop it. If it's not, just send her to the best medics around. I really think that's all you can do."

"Thanks, Siri" I said and left.

A.N. Siri is just too good an addition to the prequel generation to leave out here. Besides, I wanted to set up another subplot, which won't be resolved here. So, any guesses as who the SiriWan kid is?


	3. Sidious' Tale

The Dreamers Chapter 3

A.N. You knew this was coming, didn't you? This'll be one part of the movie where I'll be mentally screaming "Anakin, don't listen to him! He's just trying to use you! Kill him now and fulfill your destiny as the Chosen one!"

At the opera, I could hardly believe that I was sitting right next to Chancellor Palpatine. At intermission, I explained the dream that I had the night before to him. I was surprised when he promised that he knew a story that would solve it. So, as the second act started, I could hardly keep my eyes on the Mon Calamari woman, as beautiful as her singing was. Instead, the Chancellor almost had me hypnotized.

"Once there was a Sith named Darth Plagueis who learned how to use the midiclorians to keep someone alive, even if they are near death.

He then taught his apprentice the secret before that apprentice killed him, for that is the way of the Sith. The apprentice becomes powerful enough to kill the master, making the Sith more powerful in each generation."

I could hardly believe what I was hearing. "And where would I learn this secret?" I asked, getting more involved by the second.

"Clearly, not from the Jedi," Palpatine replied. "You would have to go to the one Sith remaining, for there is now only one now that you have killed Dooku."

Well, I hadn't thought getting this secret would be easy. I glanced around to make sure nobody was listening in before telling Palpatine what I knew. "Darth Sidious. They say he lives here on Coruscant, or Grevious would not have known where to kidnap you from."

"He does," Palpatine said, calmly.

"You know who he is!" I exclaimed.

The Chancellor looked me over, like he was trying to decide something about me.

Finally, he said "I am Darth Sidious."

I was too stunned to say anything for – I'm not sure how long. When I was able to speak again, I asked "Wuld you teach me the secret of Darth Plagueis, then?"

"I certainly would, if you would be my apprentice," he replied. "I've been looking for one strong enough to defeat Dooku."

I had no idea what to do next. To become a Sith would mean going against everything I believed in. That being said, letting Padme die was not an option.


	4. Chapter 4

The Dreamers – Chapter 4

Soon after learning that the one way to get what I needed was to turn to the Dark Side, I went to 500 Republica to see what I could discover on Palpatine's – _Sidious'_s own turf. There was no time to waste as the Council was getting close to learning Sidious' identity, which from what I'd heard was likely to be soon. Not to mention what I'd seen in the dream couldn't have been far into the future, and I was trying hard not to think about that coming true. When I entered, I was surprised that there was nobody there. Not even a droid.

What I did notice was that my boots made an echo on the floor like there was a room underneath, even though there are few basements in that part of Coruscant. Curiosity got the better of me and I looked around, but there was nothing leading down. Then I looked closely at the ground and kicked the rug to see if there was any sign of a trapdoor. I saw a small black handle that had been hidden underneath the rug. Pulling it, there were steps going down.

Suddenly, there came over me a sensation that I hadn't felt before. I couldn't sense anyone or anything; there was nothingness or emptiness. Going down the steps, I found a small, dark room with what appeared to be cages all around. It appeared to be empty at first. But there was a sudden hiss from the top of one of the cages. I looked up just as the hiss was answered by another. From what I could see, there were two creatures on top that were slithering across the top of the cage with their mouth open to reveal their long fangs.

At this point, I heard what sounded like glass breaking onto the street, which was now above me. I ran up the stairs and slammed the trapdoor shut. Suddenly, I could sense again, and I could sense furious activity nearby. Following the familiar whir of a lightsaber into Palpatine's office, I found him dueling with Mace Windu. What had crashed to the ground became obvious as the window was broken.

_So he's been found out. _I couldn't decide whether to be relieved or panicked.

After a beat, Master Windu had Sidious on the ground and looked about to swing his lightsaber towards Sidious's head. As I started to panic, I couldn't just watch anymore. I came rushing in and screamed out, "Master, no!"

He looked surprised to see me there. "Anakin, he's a Sith. He's been responsible for this war."

"I know, bring him to trial then," I said.

"A trial would be a joke," Master Windu replied, the edge of his lightsaber still almost touching Sidious' neck. "He controls the courts. He controls the Senate."

"But I need him to save Padme," I cried.

Master Windu turned towards me in surprise, his lightsaber moving away from Sidious. "What are you talking about!"

While Master Windu's back was turned, Sidious quickly got to his feet and Force lightning came out of his hands. Master Windu went to the ground, screaming. As I watched and was filled with the Dark Side more strongly than I ever had before, Sidious coolly picked him up and threw him out the window.


	5. Chapter 5

The Dreamers – Chapter 5

When Sidious turned back to me, I knew what decision I would make. Maybe it was to late to turn back; I had a new loyalty. Becoming his apprentice was my only chance to gain what I wanted – the power to stop people from dying. As for the galaxy as a whole, I knew that he wanted to control it. I was sure it would be better off with one person in charge.

"Have you made your decision?" Sidious asked.

"I will be your apprentice," I told him, steadily.

Sidious looked about ready to crackle, but then stopped.

"Your name will be Lord Vader, for you will invade the hiding places of my enemies," he responded.

Before I could do anything, he continued. "Kneel," Sidious said in his most commanding tone.

I did, going down on one knee in front of him.

"I take you, Lord Vader, to be my apprentice. May you always be loyal to the Sith Order."

"I always will, my Master," I responded. That title was so familiar to me.

"Rise."

After I stood up, Sidious began giving orders immediately. "Your first task is to destroy the Jedi, for they are threats to us and enemies of the Republic."

What could I do? "Yes, my Master," I said.

I should have known I would never get what I wanted and that my dream would come true, for the Force always prophesies the truth.

A.N. Should I continue? If you want me to, please review and tell me that.


	6. Chapter 6

The Dreamers Chapter 6

All I could think of was that the Jedi would try to kill Palpatine again. That they were all brainwashed from such a young age. That I had never felt completely accepted as one of them. I was "The Chosen One" who hadn't joined the Order until I was nine.

I couldn't take any chances of Palpatine being killed before Padme was saved. I was also thinking of myself as I didn't want to know what the Jedi would do once they learned what I had done.

But as one of the boys said "Master Anakin, there are too many of them. What are we going to do?" it was just about the hardest thing I'd ever had to do to cut my lightsaber through him. It wasn't their fault they'd been brainwashed.

As Palpatine's men set fire to the Temple, I knew I'd left that part of my life forever. But as many Jedi as I killed, there were none that I knew personally. Most of them had been sent on some sort of mission – but not all of them.

Afterward, I received orders to go to Mustafar to kill the Separatist leaders at the base there. This was something I'd been doing for the past three years and believe me, the idea of seeing the Galaxy at peace was something I wanted. The war didn't feel as though it would ever end. It was always one more battle or one more Separatist who had to be captured or killed.

I had to go home to say goodbye to Padme before I left for Mustafar. As soon as I opened the door, she came running up to me. "Anakin, I've been so worried. You can see the smoke from the Temple from here."

I couldn't tell her I was the one responsible or I'd lose her forever. I replied, "The Jedi are behind a plot to take over the Republic. I saw Master Windu try to assassinate the Chancellor."

"I don't believe it!"

"I'm not going to go along with this plot. My loyalties are with the Republic and the Chancellor – and with you." Padme didn't look reassured, so I continued. "I'm going to Mustafar to end this war."

"And Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan was on a mission to find General Grievous. I didn't want to think about him.

"I don't know. Many of the Jedi have been killed. We can only hope his loyalty is to the Chancellor."

"Anakin, I'm afraid."

"Have faith, my love. Soon everything will be all right."

It wasn't.


	7. Chapter 7

The Dreamers Chapter 7

I still didn't have the secret of Darth Plagueis, so I went looking in the only place that might have a chance to learn his secret. I hadn't seen everything in Palpatine's buildings. When I entered, instead of being empty, this time a trapdoor slammed shut as I walked in. Following, I saw a vaguely familiar-looking woman with black hair and brown eyes. She was staring at the cages, horrified, but turned to look towards me at the sound of the trapdoor opening.

"Anakin!" she called out, and then I recognized her. It was Siri. "Will you take a look at this?"

"I know, I've been down here before," I told her.

"This is to keep _Jedi _captured. What else could it be? You can't tap into the Force at all."

I felt incredibly stupid for not having thought of that before. "It's the Chancellor's right to stop the plot against the Republic." I started to leave. "I've got to go to Mustafar to end this war."

"Wait," she called out. "On the Chancellor's orders?"

"Yes."

Siri shook her head. "I know he's been a mentor to you, but we've traced Darth Sidious to his inner circle. Master Windu and some others came here and never came back. That's why I'm here – to figure out what's going on."

"The only thing on is that the Council and the Chancellor don't trust each other, and I thought we were on the same side against the Separatists."

"A Sith is not on our side. It doesn't matter what's happening with the war."

That was true, from the Jedi point of view. "I'll kill the Sith later. But I have to end this war first."

And with that, I left as quickly as I could. Somehow I'd forgotten all about my search. I was sure that I'd learn the secret soon enough, in any case


	8. Chapter 8

The Dreamers Chapter 8

I managed to reach Mustafar without incident. The Separatist let me into their base. Looking at Nute Gunray, I knew this would be easier than what I'd done at the Temple. That animal who'd tried to kill Padme and would have happily seen us executed on Geonosis? They deserved to die.

Before I knew what I was doing, his head was chopped off with my lightsaber. The rest of them ran, screaming, terrified.

_Well_, I thought, _they should be. _They wouldn't get far, especially not on this lava rock of a planet. Before long, all of their bodies were scattered on the floor. Still, it wasn't as satisfying as I'd thought to see them gone.

Afterward, I used my comlink to reach Palpatine. "The Separatists have been taken care of, my Master." I reported.

"Good, good," he replied. "Send a message to all ships of the Trade Federation. Tell them the Separatist leaders have been wiped out."

"Very good, my Lord."

"You have done well, Lord Vader." I supposed that I had.

"Thank you, my Master."

As I was finished, I looked outside to see a familiar looking ship approaching…

I had to see Padme.

Sure enough, she came out of her ship after a minute. I picked her up and enveloped her in a tight hug. "It's all right." I told her. "What are you doing here?"

"Obi-Wan told me terrible things," she replied.

_How much did he know about what I'd done?_

"What terrible things?" I asked, wondering I was going to be able to explain this.

"He said you've turned to the _dark side_," she answered. "That you killed children."

The frustrations I'd had with Obi-Wan started to burn. "Obi-Wan is trying to turn you against me."

"He cares about us," Padme answered. "He wants to help you."

Somehow I was certain that Obi-Wan would more likely want revenge against those who killed his fellow Jedi. And that he wouldn't care about an attachment against the Code I wished I'd never heard of.

"Don't lie to me. I've become more powerful than any Jedi. And I've done it for you. To protect you."

"I don't want your power," Padmr replied. "Anakin, all I want is your love."

I was sure she still didn't understand. My nightmare still haunted. "Love won't save you," I told her. "Only my new powers can do that."

"At what cost? You are a good person. Don't do this." Now I could hear pleading.

Was I still a good person? I wasn't sure of anything anymore, except that I was desperate.

"I won't lose you the way I lost my mother!"

"Come away with me," she said, and it was tempting. "Help me raise our child. Leave everything else behind while we still can."


	9. Chapter 9

A.N. While so far I have been "dancing on the edge of canon" (Yes, I know this story doesn't have exact dialogue and contradicts Secrets of the Jedi, though I didn't when I started writing this) I'd now like to take this in an AU direction.

The Dreamers Chapter 9 (I think)

"Yes," I said, feeling relieved for the first time in months. "We need to get away from all this. I'll go insane otherwise."

_If I haven't already._

"I love you so much. I need you. Our child needs you," Padme cried as she ran into my arms. I didn't want to let either of them down.

Once we were on board her ship, though, I realized I had no idea where we were going. "We don't have to hide forever," I told Padme. "The war will be over and then I can take care of Palaptine."

"Ani, promise me you'll be careful when you do something like that."

Did she not trust me? "Of course."

It wasn't long before we found an out-of-the-way planet. It wasn't like what either of us were used to, but it would have to do for the time being. I was afraid we would stick out as there weren't many humans, but nobody seemed to pay much attention to us. We quickly found an apartment and began making plans to go to Naboo.

"Ani", she asked me once, "do you miss your old life?"

"No," I said, after thinking about it for a minute. "How could I miss being in danger of being blasted out of the sky any time?"

The safety, however, didn't last. The past has a tendency of catching up with you.

A.N. Just 1 more chapter left, I promise!


	10. Chapter 10

The Dreamers – Epilogue

I came home one day soon after that and the door shot open as I walked up to it.

_Why is the door unlocked?_

Realizing how many might be looking across the Galaxy for us, I started to panic.

I walked in calling "Padme!" while trying to sense her. She was nearby and in pain.

I found her in the next room, lying in a pool of blood. Even though my heart stopped for a beat, I couldn't run over to her fast enough. I tried to cover up the hole in her chest.

"Ani," she whispered. "You came. I love you."

"You're going to be all right. Who did this?'

"An Imperial assassin."

I rushed her to the medical canter, thinking the whole time _She can't die. I can't live without her._ But she looked so weak and had lost so much blood.

_I will kill Palpatine for this._

After Padme was brought into a room in the medical center, all I could do was wait, pacing, for some news. After what seemed like hours, a medical droid came out.

"We don't know if your wife will survive. She has much internal damage. But if we induce labor, we can save the babies."

"Babies?" I asked, automatically.

"She's carrying twins."

I followed the droid into the room and took Padmé's hand.

"I'm not afraid to die."

"I can't live without you," I replied.

"Don't say that. You have to be here for our twins."

As the droid induced labor, I did what I could to ease her pain. But her screams sounded just like the ones in my nightmare. They broke my heart.

But as her contractions stopped and our newborn daughter was placed in her arms, I felt a small glimmer of hope that we might somehow make it as a family.

"Leia," Padmé whispered to me. "Isn't she perfect?"

"Yes, she is" I told her. And she was.

That's when the horrible, powerful contractions started again. I took Leia from her.

"This'll be over soon. Just hang on," I pleaded.

I was right about the first part. It wasn't long before our son came into the world.

"Luke," Padmé said. "Anakin, we'll be together again someday. There's still good in you."

But then her eyes closed and the machines started beeping wildly. I couldn't think. All I knew was pain.

_A strange alien world._

_Blood everywhere._

_A baby placed in Padme's arms._

_She was weak and then went limp._

Notes:

Thank you, LVB, for betaing this!

BabyBlonde: Thanks for your reviews. I love knowing that people are reading my stuff. I tried to email you, but it bounced back to me.

While this is definitely the end of "the Dreamers", if anybody wants a sequel (which could involve Anakin being accused of Padmé's murder, Anakin and Obi-Wan teaming up to kill Palpatine and rescue Siri from "the basement", etc.) let me know by reviewing. I could easily be talked into this.


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